Letters to the EditorYour emails to EcommerceBytesFor consideration, send your email to ina@auctionbytes.com with "Letters to the Editor Blog" in the subject line! Remember to include your name as you would like it to appear in the blog.

By: Reader

Sponsored Link

Dear Ina,Just had an interesting conversation with eBay customer service. I had a return that was outside the 45 days they allot for returns to get your selling fees back so I called to find out how to take care of this. They credited me just fine but I asked how this was going to work with the extended holiday returns. They told me they had not thought of that!!

So the way it is now if the return is over 45 days you must CALL to get your fees back, even if you are taking something back under the extended holiday returns.

Not a big problem for me, but I can imagine a small seller having to wait on the phone for eBay customer service after Christmas might have a problem. Heck they might not even return fees for a small seller - wouldn't that be fun?!Bob

Unrelated, but I love this type of publicity for ebay....real nice people working at ebay these days....

by: Marie

Wed Oct 15 12:58:15 2014

@Bob

This is just another example of an CSR speaking about something in which they do not know. I understand your concern as we all should be. But really, this CSR was so in the know that they had first hand knowledge that management had not even thought it through?!?!? Very doubtful. What you did is different, it is not the same.

You processed yours WITHOUT a claim. Great customer service on your part, but because of that, there is a difference with what Ebay plans to do.

On the Extended Holiday return, when the claim closes after the seller has refunded, the FVF's are auto returned to the seller.

Now if you are going to process a return outside of the claim system, I honestly don't know if they are going to extend the Mutual Cancellation process, you may have to call each time to get the FVF returned. But they always give them as they can see the refund. Just a real hassle to call.

But again, yours was without a claim which is why you had to call.

Ebay is probably banking on there will be actual claims filed.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Wed Oct 15 17:38:53 2014

@MARIE

Frankly, this is the NEW ebay. They don't think things out. Really we should all start taping CS calls, and publish them to a website, you will see 10 calls, 10 different answers.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: AgendaSwallowsAll

Wed Oct 15 18:00:12 2014

JD & Co. may or may not but rest assured if they do, they'll make all so difficult a number of sellers will be weighing difficulty to get through and most assuredly the level of frustration wrought by conversations with Peggy's that many will just let it go which is exactly what JD & Co. had in mind.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Marie

Wed Oct 15 18:59:23 2014

@fashionista

There is nothing "new" about this Ebay. JD's been in charge since 2008, he is no longer new nor are his method of managing the company. It is simply old and tired.

It was in the announcement regarding Extended returns. And it is part of the return process regularly. If a claim is opened, if the seller refunds and the claim closes out. The FVFs are automatically refunded. I would certainly keep a watchful eye on it. But there is no reason for it not to continue.

While there are plenty of problems on Ebay, not everything is a cumbersome process.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Wed Oct 15 22:29:20 2014

@Mariewhile I have gone with the flow for the past 15 years, this whole return thing seems to be the last straw for me.

I could maybe conceive if you have very low feedback / dsr's or whatever that they "force" you into managed returns until your numbers improve. But for them to take good/excellent sellers, and tell them that they can manage our business better than we can, no way.I have talked to numerous cs reps over the past month, and ALL give me the same message. If you have a return policy, managed or not, the buyer can return the item for any reason (ok) and IN ANY CONDITION. That is completely absurd.

I also want to mention, that they are releasing changes in batches, I guess, so some people are discussing things other sellers haven't seen or come across. I have never seen more incompetent CS reps than they have now, and they're from the US. They seem to "interpret" the rules, I don't blame them sometimes.This new return form, which is NOT managed returns, nobody can point out where the announcement was or when it was released.

Since JD came in, they cancelled all the big "ebay live" events, because they started posting videos to you tube about the lack of knowledge of the staff (I'm being kind) It's sad, I was a big cheerleader of ebay. They're not "just a venue" they're buyers advocates.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: comet

Thu Oct 16 00:05:23 2014

@FASHIONISTA:::

They are not "Buyers Advocates"--

They are Thieves Advocates

There I fixed it for ya

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Marie

Thu Oct 16 01:52:07 2014

@fashionista

I too think they are going to far with the return policy and how they apply it. For me I don't get a whole lot of returns, so it won't impact me as seriously as it will others that have a higher percentage of returns. There are categories this will affect far more than others.

I know what CSRs have been saying to you and LOTS of other people and it is only PARTIALLY right. Which because of this stupidity by Ebay they are increasing their CSR time, alienating sellers, causing unnecessary confusion and it is pathetic.

The CSRs are right but only for the duration of your stated return policy. If it is 14 days, then you need to accept returns for any reason for those 14 days. If it is 30 days, then you need to accept returns for ANY reason for 30 days.

BUT if a buyer files a claim that is AFTER your stated return policy, it falls under the rules of Ebay's Money Back Guarantee and there ARE exceptions in that policy. Plus they take into consideration your written return policy as long as it does not conflict with the MBG. It must be equal to or better than the MBG.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: forrosebud

Thu Oct 16 12:28:31 2014

@ everybody

I am actually getting a stomachache reading this... seriously.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: nothingnew

Thu Oct 16 12:48:05 2014

Well i've enjoyed reading these letters about the sinking ship ebay. But I have an art order to complete and no time to care about ebay BS anymore

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Massachusets Howler

Thu Oct 16 15:54:58 2014

I guess they are going to also extend the period a buyer can leave feedback, RIGHT?If they do this they will say after the holidays- it was such a GREAT SUCCESS that IT IS NOW PERMANENT- GUARANTEED.It will go 180 day returns and 180 days for FB.MH

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Fri Oct 17 12:05:44 2014

@marieI have absolutely no problems accepting 14 day returns, I would even go 30 for holiday, but I do have a problem with their statement "if you INVITE returns, items can be in any condition" I spoke to a cs rep last night about something else, and asked her to see the answer, it was the same, I pointed out the returns from mayor dept stores, I posted Bloomingdales somewhere else. They will not accept returns if items are worn, damaged, altered, washed etc. Items will be INSPECTED upon return. Best Buy has a 15 day policy, and they clearly state if item is missing parts or anything, "refund will be adjusted accordingly" These are multi-million dollar companies, why aren't we allowed the same? That is my big problem.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Marie

Fri Oct 17 12:12:04 2014

@fashionista

Where does it say that? Or is it something a CSR said to you.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Fri Oct 17 18:53:36 2014

@mariemore than one csr has said it to me. I have asked the question in several different ways, I've asked them to point out where it spells out that policy, none can provide it, but they say that's the way it is.If a buyer contacts you they want to return an item, you have a return policy, and you receive the item, no matter what the condition you have to refund, because you "invited" the return. I've run a couple of different cases by them......nwt dress is returned with spaghetti sauce, "we don't have any proof when that spaghetti sauce was put on", someone purchases a new iphone 6, returns it in 2 weeks broken, "we don't know when it was broken"I have mentioned I thought I was in the Twilight Zone talking to them, but that's it.It all stemmed from a return of a fragile item, originally shipped in a box with lots of bubble and it was returned in a tyvek envelope, broken of course. Buyer didn't dispute it could have been broken in transit, (but she was told that was the cheapest way) I was told by several cs reps if she escalated, she would win the case for sure.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Marie

Fri Oct 17 19:12:10 2014

@fashionista

This I find very perplexing. Something is different as it pertains to the CSRs and I don't know what Ebay is trying to do. Now I know that statement will open the flood gates for those that regularly post here of evil Ebay. But no matter what they say, there is something different underfoot. I just don't know why or what.

It isn't just on this subject. It's FB removal and some other things too. CSRs are consistently contradicting what the written policy is that is currently stated on Ebay.

I think your comment about the "Twilight Zone" is PERFECT. But whatever is going on, it is very serious and very damaging to sellers.

If we can't get CSRs to abide by the written policy of Ebay, what alternatives do we have.

This is NOT an old problem that is getting worse. This is a new type problem because it is not the minority of CSRs doing this, it is the majority.

All we can do is keep a close eye on it. I've started keeping notes on direct conflicts between what the CSR says and what the written policy says.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Fri Oct 17 20:29:59 2014

@MarieAs I've mentioned before, I'm not new to selling, been selling for 15 years, I've "rolled with the punches" before, I didn't like many changes, but well, I tried to adapt, trying to conduct an honest, professional business. I've had many return customers over the years, and there's one constant, they're leaving ebay, and their reasoning is not "bad experiences with sellers" as ebay tries to say, most tell me it's become like Amazon, they can't find anything, and before there were small/medium sellers who gave them personal attention and answered their questions, now it's hard to find those. They go directly to their favorite sellers and that's it.Let me make it clear, all the cs reps I've talked to have been in the us, not foreign, so there's no misunderstanding.I really wish we could tape the calls and post them to a website, maybe then can they realize how broken the system is. I work very hard, as most small sellers do. I take pride in my store. I wrap the $5 item with the same care I do the $100 itemIt just seems insane. I would think they really want buyers and seller to work together, not make us enemies.I'm not blind that there are bad sellers, but there are also bad buyers.They also instituted a new "mutual cancellation" it popped up last night for me. There are only 2 options#1 I'm out of stock or can't fulfill the order #2 the buyer asked to cancel the order or there was a problem with the addressThat's it, and they refund directly from ebay, you don't go to PP, and you will get your fvf back immediately........wrong, I'm still waiting!It's really sad.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Marie

Fri Oct 17 20:41:29 2014

I've been here just about as long as you have as well. But what the CSRs are doing and saying now is very different and very concerning. I agree with you completely.

This cancellation thing after a purchase is brand new. The button appears for approximately one hour after the purchase and the buyer can request a cancellation. After that it disappears and the buyer, if they want a cancellation would have to email you and ask.

I didn't know and it certainly doesn't say anywhere in anything I've read, that they auto refund.

The FVF, that part is normal. That has always been immediately after both parties accept the cancellation. But the refund is a new thing.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: fashionista

Sat Oct 18 08:31:32 2014

@mariei spent an hour on hold last night to try to complete that coat return i had from last week.CR reps are getting nasty with sellers, he mentioned ''we're going to get tough on sellers'' 'I only buy from large sellers, they're the best'' ''I only buy when there's free shipping both ways'' things like this. I brought up the return item in any condition, he said ''we asked the large sellers if they were ok with this and they said yes'' how do you like that one. I said, well I guess the president should just ask the rich people what laws to pass. Marie, this is insane. Before you used to call, ''we appreciate your business'' ''we see you're an excellent seller'' none of that anymore.It's truly frightening.

Will eBay Refund Seller Fees for Extended Holiday

by: Massachusets Howler

Sat Oct 18 08:48:32 2014

This is absolutely NOTHING NEW, but it is getting worse.mh

Login is required to post comments.To sign in to leave a comment using your AB Verify User Name, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page.

Login for AB VerifyBe sure and use your email address and password to log in.